Does anyone have experience with home media servers (music/movies) or control systems (for appliances/security cameras, etc.)?

Any products out there you'd recommend for any of the components having to do with either?

I've been looking into it (slowly) and I definitely would like to start putting movies into some sort of computer storage, but I also want something that'll be able to expand with home control/security as well.

I've got a PS3, but I'm not sure if it's useful to stream to that or to just get a stand-alone system. The software media servers that I've tried so far haven't really worked. The best one I found was the PS3 Media Server which would play music (after loading for 1-2 minutes), but all of them had the same problem with video - load for several minutes, play a few seconds, freeze, play a few more seconds, freeze, etc.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

BillV

For appliance controls and security sensors (not video, unless they have a really good high-end one I haven't seen, because quality on their lower end cameras stinks) the X10 stuff has always been reliable for me.  I know there are much higher-end ones, but if you're talking for home, the X10 stuff has worked well for me.

Additionally, misterhouse.com has a nice portal / webpage setup you can download and run, that lets you schedule events and such for X10 as well as other automation equipment, and it's been fun to tinker with, over time.  Bruce (the guy who runs it) and I have chatted quite a few times in the past, about his stuff, and he's always open to suggestions and programming help to better it, too.

Again, this isn't 'high end' stuff, but it's worked reliably, for me, anyway.  Just don't rely on their low-end surveillance cameras, and if you buy their higher-end ones, let me know if they're any good.

Cheers!

A few of my buddies have the Drobo's, and like them.  Neither of them are 'highly tech savvy,' either, so I'd assume they aren't too difficult to drop in and use.  I don't have personal experience with either of those products, though.